


Someone Like You

by mahbecks



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alcohol, Chill XV, Drinking Games, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff, Happy Ending, Humor, M/M, Mutual Pining, Noctis being a troublemaker, Pre-Game Events, Romance, tropey tropes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-31
Updated: 2017-02-01
Packaged: 2018-09-21 01:28:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9525608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mahbecks/pseuds/mahbecks
Summary: Ignis likes Gladio.Gladio likes Ignis.And everyone is aware of it but them. Noctis has finally had enough, and decides to do something about it.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this started off as a super tropey one-shot inspired by my pal RedHawkeRevolver's story, "A Moment of Clarity". Seriously, if you have not read that, go do yourself a favor - it's hilarious and hot and you'll thank yourself for it.
> 
> But THIS story has turned into a monster, and lest it turn into a huge, 10K sex fest, I've decided to split it up and make it into a short multi-chapter story. Warning - it is incredibly tropey, and cheesy, and oooey gooey lovey dovey shit, because I need happiness for these guys. 
> 
> Set shortly before Noctis' 20th birthday and the events of the game.

Ignis was not stupid.

Not that anyone would ever accuse him of such. It was well known throughout the palace that of all the prince’s companions, Ignis was the most erudite. Had he not been duty bound to serve the Crown, he likely would have ended up in some academic profession or another, teaching young pupils as he had taught Noctis, or perhaps conducting his own research. As it were, he was a fantastic source of information for the prince to drawn upon and an invaluable advisor. 

Ignis knew this - he was not overly prideful, but he knew his worth, and was confident in his ability to aid his liege. An advisor capable of sound logic and possessing a keen political acumen was just as valuable as the most trusted bodyguard, especially in these challenging times. 

However, none of his considerable intellect could explain his current infatuation with one Gladiolus Amicitia. 

It made no sense - the two of them were not particularly close, nor did they have very many interests in common. Together they served Noctis, his advisor and his sworn shield. But outside of their duties together - which were, admittedly, many - they did little more than train together. Their natural paths rarely intersected.

And yet…

There was something compelling about the man. 

It wasn’t simply his good looks, though he was certainly handsome enough to draw both male and female attention aplenty. Standing a head taller than Ignis, he was very heavily muscled, with the appropriate amount of scars and tattoos to complement his rugged, masculine features. It didn’t hurt that he almost always wore leather, either.

Nor was it simply his charm, and he had that in abundance. A lopsided grin here, a smoldering laugh there… oh, Amicitia was a natural. Flirtatious with everyone, he just had this ability to make a person feel special. Important. Well-liked. He was also loyal to a fault; once you were Gladio’s friend, he was yours for life, and there was little that could be done to shake that trust. Ignis was confident that he would do anything for not only Noctis, but Noctis’ friend, Prompto, and Ignis himself as well. 

But people like that did not end up with people like Ignis. Or at least, not in Ignis’ experience. People like him - reserved, full of obscure, esoteric knowledge, and practical to a fault - often ended up surrounded by like-minded people, and eventually settled into a comfortable relationship that involved intense, philosophical debates in a firelit room, lots of red wine, and heavily scheduled lives. He had seen it time and time again among the people he had gone to school with, and between the diplomats with whom he worked in the capital. 

It was simply how things were.

People like him did not end up with people like Gladiolus Amicitia.

But, oh, how he wanted. 

He had never mentioned a word of this infatuation to anyone. He could not have born the pity in their eyes when they informed him that Gladio was interested in, well, other sorts of people. Nor did he care to try to assuage the likely curiosity revealing such a secret would create.  _ Why Gladio? _ they would ask.  _ He’s not like you. _

And that was perhaps it. He was  _ not _ like Ignis. They were not opposites, but nor were they the same. Where Ignis was sure of himself because of years of study and practice, Gladio was sure of himself because he simply knew he could do whatever was asked of him. Where Ignis was reserved and often exuded aloofness, Gladio was warm and inviting, as an open flame was to small insects. He drew people in, where Ignis had no such allure.   

At first, it had been a simple desire to be in the other’s presence. And that was easy enough to accomplish - they were often thrown together because of their duty to Noctis, and they had been sparring partners for several years now. Ignis enjoyed every second of their time together, even if he did not let it show upon his face. 

But that had quickly proven to not be enough. He wanted more, more than he deserved. He found ways of spending time in the other’s presence, be it as simple as learning his normal routes through the palace so that he could “bump” into Gladio, or extending invitations to accompany him as he ferried Noctis and Prompto around Insomnia. To his delight, Gladio generally accepted these invitations; he had never once questioned Ignis’ intent. And that was a very good thing, for Ignis was not sure he would have had a satisfactory answer. 

Now, he was desperate. There was very little more he could do to further attract Gladio’s attention without revealing his hand. Stealing covert glances from across the room, imagining what it would be like to touch, to  _ taste, _ the muscles Gladio so often displayed… it was maddening. More than once, he had had to talk himself down from an intense, sudden desire to reach out and kiss the other, to bring their lips together in the hopes that the other would want him back. 

He could not bring himself to do it. It would ruin everything, for he was certain that Gladio did not return his feelings. How could he? He had given no outward appearance of interest in Ignis, nothing to suggest that he wished for a non-platonic relationship. 

And so Ignis suffered in silence, burying his feelings as deep as he could and hoping that no one would notice. Perhaps it was for the best this way, he reasoned. This way, it could not ruin the tightly knit bond shared amongst himself, Noctis, Prompto, and Gladio. It hurt, to have the object of his desire at hand but still out of reach, but it hurt less the inevitable rejection would. 

Yes, it was better this way. 

* * * * *

Gladio was not an idiot.

He was much smarter, and much more observant, than people often gave him credit for. He had to be - as Noctis’ sworn shield, he had to constantly be on the alert, searching for threats. He also had to do some basic research into who was most likely to launch those types of attacks in the first place. He had some help with that - Ignis was more than happy to procure stacks upon stacks of data for him - but it was up to him to read them and put two and two together. 

People often assumed that he was nothing more than a slab of muscle to jump in front of Noctis, a literal shield to take any and all attacks meant for the prince. And he was that - but that was not  _ all _ that he was. It was his job not only to protect Noctis, but to prepare him, coach him even - physically and mentally - for the tasks he would face as king. 

However, nothing could have prepared  _ him _ for the strength of his own feelings for one Ignis Scientia.

It made little sense - Ignis wasn’t the type of person to whom he was normally attracted. He was more than a little reserved, and the epitome of the phrase “cool, calm, and collected”. It was hard to really get to know someone like Ignis; they didn’t open up to just anybody, and when they did, it was still hard to tell if you were getting the whole story. Nor did they really spend a lot of time together; they sparred a few times a week, and they both spent a lot of time in Noct’s company. But other than that, their meetings were rare.

And yet…

There was something alluring about the man. 

It wasn’t just that he was attractive. Gladio had never questioned that. Lean and trim, Ignis was exactly the type of guy Gladio was attracted to, and his angular, sharp features and green eyes were striking. Combined with his fluid movements and his slim-fitting, tapered clothing, he was… well. Really fucking hot. 

Nor was it simply Ignis’ presence. And he did have a presence, though he probably wouldn’t think so. Everything felt like it would turn out alright when you were around Ignis; he always had a plan, always had an idea, always knew what to do. You didn’t have to worry about all the little things people normally worried about, because he’d already taken care of them. Ignis was… relaxing, he supposed was the right word. Or calming. 

But people like that didn’t end up with people like Gladio. Or at least, not in Gladio’s experience. He wasn’t an idiot, but he knew that he didn’t have the knowledge or interests to keep up with someone like Ignis. He wouldn’t be able to have the kind of conversations that someone like that would want to have; instead, it was likely that Ignis would have had to explain so much to him that he would wind up bored halfway through the conversation. Gladio’s interests were less complicated - camping, training, watching athletic competitions, eating. In short, he was boring. He just didn’t have enough to offer someone as brilliant as Ignis. 

It was just how things were. 

People like Ignis did not end up with people like Gladio Amicitia. 

But oh, how he wanted. 

No one knew how he really felt about Ignis. They’d have laughed at him, told him to find someone more his style. Or perhaps they would have scrunched their noses up and asked  _ Why Ignis? You could have just about anyone, and you want him? _ He wasn’t deluded about his looks; he knew what he looked like. And yeah, there were lots of people who would probably be more than willing to date him. 

Maybe that was the crux of it. Ignis was someone that he  _ couldn’t _ have. And thus, Ignis was the one he wanted most. He knew that were he to voice his feelings, Ignis would calmly, politely even, shut him down before he had a chance to get any sort of emotional reaction from the man. Because that was how Ignis was - rational, logical,  _ practical. _ He’d immediately realize what Gladio was intending and promptly began to talk about the consequences of their feelings, presenting such a convincing argument that Gladio himself would have to agree. 

It had been reason enough to convince Gladio to keep his mouth shut. But it wasn’t easy. He wasn’t a naturally secretive person, nor did he hide his feelings particularly well. If he felt a particular type of way about someone, they knew it. That was the way he had always been. In fact, Ignis was the first real secret he’d had in years. 

But increasingly, that secret wanted to bubble to the surface and spill from his lips. He found himself fighting not to stop in the middle of a sparring session and pin the other against a wall, kissing him senseless before he had time to explain to Gladio about all the should not’s and must not’s. He wanted to smooth away the worry lines already developing on Ignis’ young face, and remind him that there were things worth experiencing outside duty and politics. 

Despite this, he held himself back. He would never do something to Ignis that the other didn’t want. He would never force his affections on another. That type of behavior was appalling to him. And since it was quite clear that Ignis was uninterested in that sort of thing, especially from him, he pushed down his desire as far as he could. He attempted to bury it, smother it, make the fire go out. 

It didn’t, of course. His feelings were much too strong for that.

But he tried.

* * * * *

Noctis was tired of it all.

Ignis and Gladio.

They were so obvious about their feelings for one another, it was almost painful. And it wasn’t just Noctis - Prompto agreed with him. Ignis Scientia and Gladio Amicitia had somehow, against the odds, fallen for each other.

And it was completely obvious to everyone but themselves.

Noctis thought he could guess what was holding the two of them back. And, in his opinion, it was dumb. If they had feelings for each other, feelings they felt were worth something, then they should act on them. He wouldn’t treat them any differently, and he scarcely thought it would change the dynamic within their small friend group. Everyone deserved the opportunity to have love, and he was inclined to think that that was especially applicable to Ignis and Gladio, who had already given so much of their time and energy to the cause of another. Namely, him. 

So he decided to act. 

If they weren’t going to do anything, he had to, right? It was his job as the future ruler of Lucis to ensure the safety and happiness of his subjects. Well, there was no better place to start than his closest friends, and this would make Ignis and Gladio happy. It was his duty, really, to ensure that they got together. 

It was with this in mind that he got out his phone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is now largely finished, so as soon as I've got the edits complete, I'll post the rest of it.
> 
> Thanks for the warm response to part one! :)
> 
> Note: I am acting as if the legal drinking age in Lucis is 18. So in this story, there is no underage drinking.

Ignis had a bad feeling about this.

When he had first gotten the prince’s text message, telling him to arrive at his apartment that night - and to bring snacks - he hadn’t been suspicious at all. Noctis often requested the company of his friends, especially on Friday nights when he wasn’t required to attend any formal diplomatic functions or meetings.

He had been surprised, however, to hear several of the younger members of the Kingsglaive talking about going to Noctis’ apartments that night. He had overheard their conversation in one of the many cafeterias in the Citadel. It hadn’t been eavesdropping, per say… he had simply been minding his own business, drinking his third cup of Ebony of the day, when they had walked by his table, not bothering to keep their voices to themselves.

Curious.

Now why would Noctis invite Crowe Altius, Nyx Ulric, and Libertus Ostium to his apartment?

He tried to remember the day’s events, wondering if he had overlooked something important, but he believed every meeting, function, and time slot had been accounted for. Even knowing this, the uneasy feeling had remained. It was with a fair bit of apprehension that he had approached Noctis’ personal apartment that night, arms beladen with the necessary ingredients to make snacks.

He suspected that Noctis might have been thinking of store-bought snacks, but he really should have known better.

Ignis was the first person to arrive, save Prompto, of course. That, however, was completely unsurprising, as he was one of the few people he knew who practiced absolute punctuality. He immediately took up work in the kitchen, taking ingredients out of shopping bags and placing them delicately on the counter. Noctis took a seat on a stool opposite him, keeping one eye on the console game Prompto was playing.

“So, may I inquire as to the occasion?”

Noctis looked up at him through his bangs. “It’s my birthday.”

Ignis blinked. “Your birthday isn’t for another two weeks,” he pointed out.

“Yeah, and I’ll have to go to a bunch of state dinners and functions all day,” Noctis retorted. “That’s no fun.”

“Are multiple, extravagant celebrations not enough for you?”

“They aren’t the kind of celebration I _want._ ”

“So then that is what tonight is for. I had wondered why you invited the members of the Kingsglaive.”

“I like them,” Noctis said, shrugging. “Cor said he might show up too, if he had time. And Gladio’s bringing Iris.”

“I see,” Ignis said, nodding. “And what festivities do you have planned?”

“The usual.”

“...does the usual involve copious amounts of alcohol?”

“Later on, it does.”

Ignis was not one for much alcohol. He enjoyed an occasional glass of wine, and sometimes something a little stronger. But he had no time for hangovers or inebriation, and thus he found he didn’t enjoy drinking heavily the way that people his age often did.

“Once Iris is gone, I assume.”

“Yeah. She won’t like it though.”

“I sincerely doubt Gladio would let his little sister be around for that.”

“Yeah. Definitely not."

A few minutes later, Gladio and Iris arrived. Iris immediately took up most of Noctis’ attention, and then Prompto scored a major victory in his video game, prompting both of them to go over and revel in his accomplishment. Gladio, meanwhile, ambled into the kitchen.

“Hey, Iggy.”

“Hello, Gladio.”

“Noct got you on snack duty, huh?”

“It appears to one of the many things I am good for.”

Gladio reached out and stuck his finger in a dip Ignis had just finished. Ignis scowled at him, but Gladio already had the finger in his mouth, making an appreciative face.

“Damn, that’s good!”

“Thank you so much for sticking your dirty finger in it,” Ignis retorted.

“My hands aren’t dirty!”

“Human hands are absolute cesspools of bacteria,” Ignis snapped. “If you doubt me, go and consult a biology textbook. Or a petri dish.”

Making quite a show of it, Gladio walked over to the sink and cursorily washed his hands. “There,” he said. “Happy?”

“The current hygienic state of your hands does nothing to change the permanently altered state of my sausage dip.”

“Oh, come on. It’s not like it won’t get eaten.”

On that matter, Ignis had to agree. The only sort of food that tended to survive a party at Noctis’ apartment was the vegetable tray.

Several other guests arrived then and Gladio walked off to greet a few people that he knew. Ignis hung back, wiping his hands on a dishrag. He watched - disapprovingly - as Nyx Ulric covertly handed Noctis a bottle of some violently green liquid. Alcohol, no doubt - strong alcohol. Still, Noctis was an adult, and if he wanted to imbibe, then he could.

Perhaps he should see if there was some kind of liquor distilled from a fermented vegetable. Then, maybe, Noctis would agree to consume it.

The party got off to a rather raucous start. Prompto came out with a dance game, and people immediately hopped up to play, cheered on by various people in the room. Ignis was prompted to dance several times, though he politely declined each. He was wearing entirely the wrong footwear for such a game. Gladio got up once to play and surprised everyone in the room at how agile his large frame could be. He, of course, had just grinned and told everyone that they shouldn’t have doubted him.

By nine o’clock, little groups had formed, each having their own close-knit conversation amidst a background of pop music, video game noises, and the sounds of Insomnia at night pouring in from a window someone had opened to allow some fresh air in.

Ignis found himself in a corner with Gladio and Noctis. The latter was happily scooping cake - a _storebought_ cake, Ignis noted with disdain - into his mouth while Gladio attempted to lecture him on the proper weaponry to be found in video games.

“Just because you _can_ have a machine gun doesn’t mean you should use it,” he said. “It makes it way too easy! You just point and spray - no finesse!”

“Hardly,” Noctis disagreed. “You still have to aim - the recoil makes them bounce all over the place.”

“Not to mention their damage is weak-”

“Because they’re faster. It can’t be fast _and_ strong. Then it’d be broken.”

“Have you ever shot a revolver?”

“Okay, but the reload speed is crap.”

Ignis was rather tuned out of the conversation, truth be told. He was half-listening, half watching the antics of Gladio as he slowly become more and more impassioned about video game guns. Though he appeared to be getting upset, Ignis could tell that he was enjoying the debate and not taking things too seriously. For one, he was grinning; for another, he was using his hands as he talked. Gladio only did that when he was feeling quite impassioned. It was… rather endearing. He had a personal vendetta with using the word "adorable", but he had to admit that it would also have been appropriate.

“Ignis?”

Ignis blinked. “What?”

“You still with us there?” Gladio asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m sorry, did you say something to me?”

“I asked what you thought about guns,” Noctis said slowly.

“Yeah, you looked kinda spacey though.”

“You were just kinda staring at Gladio with this weird look on your face.”

Ignis cleared his throat, attempting to regain his composure. “My apologies,” he said. His voice was a little more uneven than normal, he realized, and he could feel his cheeks heating up.

“...so?” Noctis prompted. “Thoughts?”

“Pistols,” Ignis answered automatically, recalling the first type of gun that came to his mind.

Gladio made a victorious noise at this, and Noctis groaned. “Aw, you’re agreeing with _him_?”

“Nice, Iggy!” Gladio clapped his hand on Ignis’ shoulder, grinning at him.

“I can’t believe you,” Noctis grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. “Disagreeing with me on my own birthday.”

“It isn’t your birthday,” Ignis said primly, rather enjoying the sensation of Gladio’s approval.

“He’s got you there, Noct.”

Noctis rolled his eyes rather than gifting them with another sarcastic response. He instead went off to join Prompto in the kitchen, leaving Ignis and Gladio alone. The latter still had not removed his hand from Ignis’ shoulder; it was burning into him like a brand.

But he said nothing. If Gladio wasn’t uncomfortable with it, neither was he.

“So, nice party, huh?” Gladio said. “Kinda random though. Did he just message you about it this morning?”

“Yes,” Ignis replied. “He made me wonder whether or not I’d forgotten an appointment.”

“You?” Gladio scoffed. “Forget an appointment? Like that would happen.”

It had happened before. Ignis had been completely stressed out at the time and running on caffeine and energy bars more than food and sleep. It had been a rather mundane appointment, just a haircut for a younger Noctis, but he had been mortified that he had let it happen. Ever since, he’d programmed his phone to alert him to all scheduled events not twice, but three times in advance.

“And he said this is for his birthday?” Gladio asked, ignoring Ignis’ silence. “That isn’t for another two weeks.”

“I said much the same to him.”

“He’s up to something.”

Ignis turned to Gladio sharply. “You think?”

“Oh, I know.” Gladio nodded. “I can always tell when Noctis gets some crazy idea. You can see it in his eyes.”

“...can you, now.”

“Sure, don’t believe me. But it’s there, clear as day.”

“What, pray tell, is he scheming about?”

“Dunno,” Gladio replied, shrugging. “Maybe he has an announcement to make. Or maybe someone _else_ is going to make an announcement, and he’s helping ‘em out. Or - wait.”

“What is it?”

“Maybe…”

“Do go on.”

“Think he’s trying to get two people to hook up?”

Ignis blinked. “Why would you think that?” he asked slowly, a slow sense of dread worming its way into his thoughts.

“Come on, people do this at parties all the time,” Gladio said. “Invite a couple friends who have a thing for each other, try to set ‘em up, give ‘em an empty bedroom...haven’t you ever done that?”

“No.”

“Never?”

“I hardly have enough friends to hold such a party, and even if I did, most of them are simultaneously male and heterosexual. It wouldn’t be productive.”

“Ah. Gotcha.” He frowned then. “You know, if that is what he’s doing… I think it’s time I took Iris home.”

“You’re leaving?” The words were out of Ignis’ mouth before he’d thought about it. He clamped his lips shut as soon as the comment had been made, slightly embarrassed. That had been revoltingly needy of him. But there weren’t very many people here whom he felt comfortable with, and two of them - Prompto and Noctis - were lost in their own little world. Without Gladio, he feared he would be having a rather quiet, boring night without even the use of his quiet, boring books and reports to keep him company.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be back,” Gladio said, grinning. “I wouldn’t want to deprive you of my presence.”

Ignis made a show of rolling his eyes, but that was all it was - a show. He very much didn’t want to be here without Gladio’s presence. Not that he would ever tell Gladio that.

It would go straight to his head.

Iris did not want to leave. She begged and pleaded with Gladio to let her stay, but he was quite firm on the matter. She finally gave in with a small, belabored sigh and said her good-byes to the rest of the room before being escorted back to the Amicitia apartments.

No sooner had Gladio and Iris left than Noctis brought out the alcohol.  To Ignis’ horror, it was the vile green liquid Nyx had procured.

“Alright! Time for shots!” Prompto declared, fetching several small shot glasses out of a cabinet. He looked over at Ignis, who hadn’t moved from his spot in the corner of the room. “Ignis, you in?”

“I think I’ll sit this one out.”

“Why?” Crowe smiled at him. “Are you scared of a little liquor?”

“I am most definitely opposed to drinking liquids that appear as if they may be radioactive.”

Nyx laughed at that. “It’s just some Midori, Ignis,” he said. “No unstable isotopic activity, I promise.”

“My relief knows no bounds.”

“Come on, Ignis, just one!” Prompto wheedled.

“I would rather not.”

“It is my birthday, you know,” Noctis pointed out. “And if the birthday boy’s drinking…”

Ignis sighed. “Noctis, for the third time this evening, it is _not_ your birthday.”

While they had been talking, Prompto had filled several of the glasses with the green liquor. Noctis took one of them and brought it to Ignis, forcing it into his hand. “One won’t kill you.”

“Will you stop pestering me to take shots if I do this one?” Ignis inquired.

Noctis shrugged. “We’ll see.”

Ignis scowled at the younger man, but took the shot and downed it anyways.

It was terrible, even worse than he had imagined. _Melon._ Why in the world would you ferment _melons_ in order to make alcohol? They had such little taste to begin with, and when you made alcohol of something with very little taste… well, it did nothing to disguise the flavor of raw alcohol, that was for certain.

“See? That wasn’t so bad!” Prompto said, laughing as he took the shot glass back, rinsed it out, and then went to pour another for someone else.

“Define ‘bad’.”

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic, Ignis,” Nyx retorted, taking a shot glass in each hand and downing one, and then the other. “It could be worse. We could have brought tequila.”

Now there was a point Ignis wouldn’t argue.

At that point, Gladio returned, announcing his presence with the soft open and close of the door. Cor Leonis was with him, the barest hint of a smile on his lips. He too had brought a bottle of something alcoholic, but it was a safe, dark brown color. 

“Hey, shots!” Gladio said excitedly. “You started without me!” He took the glass Prompto offered and poured it down his throat. Ignis looked away pointedly, not wanting to see the muscles of his throat worked as he swallowed.

Or at least, not trusting himself not to stare.

“Even Ignis had one!” Prompto said.

“What?” Gladio looked over at Ignis, surprised. “Really? And I missed it?”

“Maybe if you’re lucky, you’ll get a repeat,” Noctis joked.

“I assure you that you will not,” Ignis said quickly.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” Crowe said, smiling. She looked around at the other adults. “What say we take things up a notch, huh, boys?”

“Does you mean what I think you mean?” Nyx asked, turning to his comrade.

“Oh yeah,” she said. She raised her glass in the air, as if to toast them all. “Drinking games!”

* * * * *

Ignis wasn't sure whether he was having fun or not.

He didn’t think he had ever felt so simultaneously amused, anxious, happy, and overwhelmed all at the same time. To be sure, drinking games were largely amusing, especially when they involved people telling ridiculous stories about themselves or falling prey to their rapidly increasing clumsiness when attempting to perform basic motor tasks. But they also made him quite nervous, especially when Noctis announced the next game would be Truth or Dare.

At this point, many people were very thoroughly sauced. And given the alcohol tolerance levels of some of the people in the room, _that_ was saying something. Ignis himself was nursing a light buzz. Gladio had wheedled him until he’d finally given in and taken several more shots of the vile melon liquor, as well as one of a foul yellow concoction that Ignis never wanted to see again.

Still, Ignis did not want to play Truth or Dare, namely because he did not know which he considered worse - truth or dare. If he were to pick truth, then he would have to tell the truth. Not because he felt honorbound to support the rules of the game, but because he was a terrible liar. It would be completely obvious. But if he were to pick dare, he might have to do something that he was altogether opposed to doing. And that hardly sounded appealing either.

It seemed he had little choice, though, as he was hastily forced into a seat around the table. Prompto, Noctis, Gladio, Cor, and Crowe all joined him; Libertus and Nyx were too busy singing their hearts out to some ancient love ballad on a karoake game to hear them.

“I think this’ll be the last game,” Crowe said, taking a sip of her beer.

“You done for the night?” Noctis asked; his words were only slightly slurred, Ignis noted. Perhaps the prince wasn’t as inebriated as he’d previously thought.

“No, but they are,” she replied, pointing over her shoulder at her comrades.

Ignis had to agree with her assessment.

“One game it is then!” Prompto said. “So, who’s first?”

“I’ll go,” Gladio offered.

“Okay! Truth or dare?”

“Dare.”

Prompto looked at Noctis, almost as if they were conferring. After a moment, he grinned wickedly and pulled a small jar out of his pocket. He placed it in front of Gladio, who was looking at it in confusion. “I dare you to drink this whole jar of hot sauce!”

Gladio looked up at him, frowning. “Why do you have a jar of hot sauce in your pocket?”

“Why not?” Prompto asked. “Spice is life, bro!”

“This is nothing,” Gladio muttered, picking up the jar and unscrewing the lid. He lifted it to his lips and then took a mighty swig, emptying the bottle in three gulps. He set the bottle back on the table, shooting Prompto a cheeky grin. And for a moment, it seemed as though he was truly unaffected. Then -

“FUCKING HELL!”

Gladio grabbed his beer and started gulping it down, only to choke on it a moment later. “Fuck, that’s _alcohol_!” he cried. He jumped to his feet and ran over to the sink instead, sticking his face entirely under the faucet to get to the water.

Prompto laughed so hard he fell out of his chair, and Crowe wasn’t far behind him. Even Ignis found it amusing - clearly Gladio hadn’t noticed the dancing habanero peppers around the hot sauce’s logo.

It took Gladio a few moments to regain control of himself. When he finally returned to the table, he was looking murderous. “What the hell is this stuff?” he demanded, falling heavily into his chair. “Why do you _eat_ this?”

“What can I say? I like spicy food!”

“Next time, you should drink milk,” Ignis suggested. Gladio looked over at him and blinked. “It’s better than water at masking the effects of the capcaisin.”

“The what?”

“Capcaisin - the chemical in peppers that makes them so spicy,” Ignis explained. “It’s extremely inflammatory when mammal ingest it.”

“Great. I’ll try to remember that the next time I’m downing acid.”

“There’s no need to be testy.”

“Oh, I can think of a few.”

“Now, now, boys,” Crowe said placatingly. “Let’s move along.” She turned to Noctis, sitting on Gladio’s right. “Prince, I believe you’re next.”

“Right,” Noctis said. “Truth.”

It was Ignis’ turn to set the task. “Hmm.” It took him several minutes to come up with a question. There really wasn’t very much that he wanted to know about Noctis that he felt he needed a drinking game to obtain. Still. Rules were rules. “Is it true that you’re still a virgin? The palace gossips seem to think so, but I never know what to say when they ask me.”

He would, of course, never reveal such sensitive information about the prince to the palace gossips, but that beside the point. 

To his surprise, Noctis flushed ever so slightly, shooting an embarrassed look at Prompto. “No, that’s not true,” he said.    

“Hah! So who’s the lucky lady?” Gladio asked.

“Who said it was a lady?” Noctis retorted.

He was saved from further questions by Cor, who quietly announced that it was his turn.

“Okay, Cor,” Gladio said. “Truth or dare.”

“Dare.”

Gladio thought about this for a moment. “I dare you to go over there-” he said, pointing at Nyx and Libertus, “-and give both of them a big, sloppy kiss.”

Cor sighed. “If I must,” he said, rising to his feet.

The group watched as the Marshal first grabbed Nyx and then Libertus by the back of the shirt, dipping each into a rather fantastic kiss before resettling them onto their feet. Both members of the Kingsglaive looked a little concerned about this, but they quickly laughed it off and went back to their game, thinking it all good fun.

“You practice that move often?” Gladio teased.

“All the time,” Cor replied.

“I wonder what they will think of this come tomorrow,” Ignis said thoughtfully.

“Nothing,” Crowe said, snorting. “They won’t _remember_ this come tomorrow.”

The next few rounds passed without much incident. Prompto and Ignis chose truth more often than not, where Gladio and Crowe tended to choose dare. Noctis and Cor were toss-up’s each round, sometimes opting to reveal another sordid detail of their lives and sometimes choosing to be given a silly task.

Finally, it was Ignis’ turn.

“Truth or dare, Ignis?” It was Noctis’ turn to set the task.

“Truth,” Ignis replied, after only a moment’s hesitation. Thus far, he had not been forced to admit anything truly embarrassing, so he was willing to take his chances.

“Is it true that you have feelings for Gladio?”

Ignis froze, staring at Noctis as if he’d been struck dumb. There was a knowing look in the prince’s blue eyes; Ignis felt very cold and very hot all at once, as he struggled to come up with an answer that would both truthfully answer the question and not cause too much damage. He was, ironically, saved from the moment by Gladio.

“Of course he likes me,” Gladio said, smirking. “I just have effect on people.”

His words were teasing, meant to be funny. But Ignis didn’t find them humorous at all. He tried to look at Gladio out of the corner of his eye to gauge the other’s reaction, but he found that it was hard to tell if there was more than just amusement there. Gladio caught his gaze then, the smirk slipping when he noticed the stricken look that must have been Ignis’ expression.

Gladio frowned then, looking utterly confused. “Wait...really?” he asked. “Iggy?”

Everyone at the table was staring at him now, but still he could not answer.  _Just say something,_ he scolded himself.  _Anything would do at this point!_ But that was easier said than done. 

A warm hand lightly grabbed his wrist. "Ignis?"  

No. No, he could not do this right now.

Inhaling sharply, Ignis turned back to Noctis. “Yes, it’s true,” he said, forcing the words out. There was something like triumph in Noctis’ eyes, followed quickly by concern, but Ignis barely saw it before he pushed himself up from the table, not meeting anyone’s gaze. “Now, if you will all excuse me, I need to be going. It’s getting quite late.”

Gladio had stood up as well, still staring at him. “Iggy-”

“You should consider retiring soon yourself, Noct,” Ignis continued. “We have a meeting with those representatives from the tech company tomorrow morning.” He nodded once, gathered his coat and made to leave. Noctis let him go without protest. Gladio, however, was not so easily discouraged.

“Hey!” he said, following Ignis to the door. He reached out to grab Ignis by the arm just as he slipped through the doorway. “Stop for a second, will you?”

“What do you want me to say, Gladio?” Ignis demanded, his embarrassment now turned to irritation. “Should I apologize? Tell you that it isn’t true?”

“Then...you weren’t lying?”

“The name of the game is ‘Truth or Dare’, Gladio, not ‘Fabricated Sordid Tidbit or Dare’.”

“Then…”

He could see the wheels begin to turn behind Gladio’s eyes. But rather than stay and see the inevitable conclusion to his thought process, Ignis ripped his arm away.

“Please excuse me,” he said, walking away as fast as I could. “I need to leave.”

* * * * *

Gladio was angry.

Noctis had rarely seen him so angry; he stormed back into the apartment after Ignis' departure, making a beeline straight for Noctis.  “What the hell was that for?” he demanded.

“I-”

“Why would you ask him that? Did you-” His amber eyes narrowed. “-did you _know_ what his answer was going to be?”

“I...had an idea,” Noctis admitted.

“And you made him reveal that to _all_ of us?” Gladio asked. “That’s fucked up, Noct!”

“I didn’t mean to embarrass him, alright?” And he hadn’t - he had foreseen this going quite differently. For one thing, he had counted on Gladio to actually _have_ a reaction; instead, he’d just sat there, staring at Ignis as if he’d suddenly sprouted another head. “But why didn’t you say anything to him?”

“Don’t make this out to be my fault!”

“Not to pick sides…” Cor interjected, “but I believe Noctis has a point, Gladio.”

“How can you defend him?!” Gladio asked heatedly, staring at Cor.

“I’m not,” Cor said, shaking his head. “I think he was wrong to meddle. But I also think that it was your reaction that made him leave.”

“ _My_ reaction?”

“You brushed him off, made a joke about it,” Crowe pointed out. “How do you think that made him feel?”

“I… shit.” Gladio ran a hand through his hair. “Fucking _shit._ ”

“Yep.”

“You don’t know the half of it,” Gladio said, snorting. He sat down heavily in his chair. “I was just surprised. So I made a joke about it. And now… _fuck_ …” He wiped a hand over his face.

“You have to go tell him,” Noctis said suddenly.

Gladio glared at him. “Tell him what?” he demanded. “That I’m sorry for being a giant prick?”

“No,” Prompto interjected, sighing. “That you feel the same way about him!”

“Wait, what?”

“Come again?”

This revelation seemed to catch Cor and Crowe off-guard. Both of them were staring at Gladio now, startled.

Gladio’s eyes widened. “How did you-”

“You are completely obvious.”

And now he was glaring at Noctis again. “I am not-”

“Uh, dude, you really are,” Prompto said, agreeing with Noctis. “And so is Ignis!”

“Is this true, Gladio?” Crowe asked quietly.

Gladio seemed to hesitate for a moment, uncertain of whether or not he should answer. But eventually, he nodded. “It’s true,” he muttered. “Not that it matters now…"

“You don’t know that,” Crowe said. “You can’t know for certain until you speak with him.”

“So go,” Noctis said again, crossing his arms over his chest. “Go talk to him.”

“Did you not hear him?” Gladio asked. “He said he was going to bed.”

“No, he’s not,” Noctis disagreed.

“Yeah, knowing Ignis, he’ll be up all night,” Prompto guessed.

“So _go,_ ” Noctis continued. Gladio still looked uncertain, so he added, “You can keep yelling at me tomorrow, if you want.”

Gladio snorted at that. “Is that a promise?”

“Yeah. Now get going.”

He didn't need to be told twice.

"Well," Prompto said to the suddenly quiet voice. "That could have gone better."

Noctis snorted. "Yeah. You're telling me."

"Let that be a lesson, Prince - it's best not to meddle when affairs of the heart are involved."

"And you know that how?"

"I just know."

"Uh-huh."

"At least he went to talk to Ignis." Prompto sighed. "I hope it goes well. Those two are so into each other. It'd be a real shame if it didn't work out."

"Yeah. A real shame."

"...you know, Noct. If they  _do_ end up together...it'll be because of you."

"Yeah?"

"So, uh, if they  _don't_ end up together, it'll also be because of you."

"Thanks, Prompto. I really needed that reminder."

"Anytime, man!"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun stuff comes in the next part ;)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And without further ado, the smutty conclusion! 
> 
> Thank you again for your kind comments and kudos :) I appreciate them all!

Indeed, Ignis was still awake.

Perhaps an hour had passed since he had left the party, and Ignis still couldn’t rid himself of the terrible, sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that Noctis' question had summoned. He had returned to his room immediately, taken a long bath, and then prepared to go to bed. But he’d found that his mind was far too restless for sleep. Instead, he’d automatically started coming up with contingency plans for the future, plans on how to minimize the damage caused by tonight’s escapades.

Tomorrow, at least, he wouldn’t necessarily need to interact with Gladio at all; the meeting would be filled with members of the Crownsguard because Regis would be there. That meant Clarus and Gladio might be present, but Ignis would be too busy taking notes to give much thought to their presence. And afterwards, he had to take Noctis to the tailor to see what adjustments needed to be made for his birthday regalia.  

The following day wouldn’t be so easy. Noctis was scheduled to train with Gladio, and then afterwards, Ignis with Gladio. Ignis could feign a sickness and stay in his apartment, but that was so obviously an excuse that he was loathe to use it. Perhaps he could find another thing to do with his time… another commitment perhaps… Gladio would not be able to know if it was a real or fictitious engagement. He’d have to let him get away with it.

The small amount of alcohol he’d consumed that night had worn off by now, leaving a bad taste in his mouth. Considering that he wasn’t getting any rest either, he lifted himself out of his bed and walked into the kitchen, preparing to make a pot of coffee. He would normally had gone for water, but given the circumstances… well, it was likely to be along night.

The pot was half brewed when there was a knock at the door.

Ignis looked up sharply, and then turned to the digital clock on the stove. It was nearly one in the morning, far too late for someone to be calling.

Still. Perhaps it was Noctis come to apologize. Or Prompto, to see if he was alright. Neither of them needed to be out of bed at this hour; the Citadel was well-protected, but things did happen. Preparing an admonishment as he moved, he strode to the door and opened it.

It was not Noctis. Nor was it Prompto.

It was Gladiolus Amicitia.

Ignis’ stern talking-to died on his lips. “Gladio,” he murmured instead. He cleared his throat awkwardly. “It’s a bit late for a visit, isn’t it?”

“Ignis, I need to talk to you.”

The serious tone of voice took Ignis by surprise. He opened the door, stepping aside so the other could enter, and then closed and locked it, waiting quietly for Gladio to say something. But for the moment, it seemed he was as lost for words as Ignis was.

They were interrupted by the coffeemaker beeping. Ignis glanced over at it; the pot had finished brewing. Grateful for the excuse to do something with his hands, he prepared a cup for himself and then offered one to Gladio.

“Nah, never cared for that stuff,” Gladio said. “Besides, I can’t have caffeine right now.”

“I see.”

“I don’t know how you can drink coffee so late at night. How are you going to sleep?”

“I am not so certain that I will be getting much sleep tonight in any case,” Ignis said lightly, taking a sip.

“...right.”

Ignis could sense that this was the moment, that now was the time for the rejection he had so feared. He braced himself for it, physically leaning against the counter for support as he mentally steeled himself.

Sure enough, Gladio turned to face him, a determined set to his jaw. “Ignis, I'm sorry - I didn’t know.”

“Of course you didn’t,” Ignis said, with a touch more bite than he’d intended. “I didn’t tell you for a reason, Gladio.”

“Why? Did you think I’d make fun of you? Tease you?”

Ignis looked away, the pleasant taste of the coffee turning bitter in his mouth. “Because I would rather not have my feelings thrown back in my face,” he replied. “I don’t much care for rejection.”

“So you’d prefer to just never tell me, and never know how I feel?”

“How _you_ feel?” Ignis repeated.

“Yeah, how _I_ feel.”

“What could you ever feel for me beyond friendship?” Ignis asked. “I’ve seen the type of people you… you associate with. I am not one of them.”

“You ever think there’s a reason for that?” Gladio asked. He pulled out a chair from the nearby table and flipped it around before sitting in it. “That’s just sex. I don’t have necessarily have feelings for those people. I’m just attracted to them.”

“Oh, and you have feelings for me, is that it? That’s why you’ve never once maintained any sort of interest in me?”

“Yes.”

“That doesn’t make any sense, Gladio.”

“To be honest, I didn’t think someone like you would want to be with someone like me,” Gladio admitted, shrugging. “You’re organized, and clean, and you do everything the right way. You’re so fucking smart, too. What would you want with someone like me? What could I give you? I mean, yeah, I’m nice to look at, but that ain’t everything.”

For once in his life, Ignis was at a loss. That was how _he_ was supposed to feel, not Gladio. How could Gladio ever think that he had nothing to offer Ignis?

“Then you-” He broke off, uncertain of where he was going with that.

“Feel something more than friendship for you? Yeah. I do.”

Ignis’ head was whirling, his mind attempting to process this latest information. But he simply couldn’t wrap his head around it - it just made no sense. It wasn’t logical.

Perhaps… perhaps he was attempting to make Ignis feel better. Or maybe he was saying these things because he felt guilty for what had happened at the party. He didn’t want that. That was almost worse than rejection.

“If this is a joke, it is in poor taste,” he snapped, turning around to place his now empty cup in the sink. He turned on the faucet, rinsing the last dregs of coffee down the drain. “You needn’t attempt to spare my feelings. I can assure you, I will act with the utmost professionalism around-”

“Stop.”

The voice was right in his ear, and Ignis jerked backwards right into Gladio. The other quickly set him to rights, steadying him with his hands. “Stop brushing me off,” he continued. “I’m trying to be serious here. Talk to me.”

Ignis said nothing, but crossed his arms over his chest and stared up at Gladio expectantly, silently allowing him to continue.

“I never showed any interest in you because you never showed any interest in me,” Gladio continued. “What was I supposed to think? What would you have done if I’d just walked up and kissed you the way I wanted to?”

_I would have kissed you back._

He did not say that aloud.

“I’ve never seen you show that kind of interest in _anyone_ , Iggy. I didn’t want to step in where I wasn’t wanted.” He paused, looking Ignis over. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

“I…” Ignis broke off, clearing his throat again. “If you must know, I was thinking that your argument is highly illogical. I sincerely hope you aren’t saying this out of a misplaced sense of guilt.”

Gladio scowled at him. “I wouldn’t do that, and you know it.”

“Then please, explain to me how any of this works. _You’re_ the one who shouldn’t want to be with _me._ You ask what I would see in you… but what do you possibly see, what could you possibly _want_ in me?”

“Are you serious?” Gladio asked, sounding surprised.

“Yes, I’m serious!”

“I don’t know, being around you is just… it’s just relaxing,” he replied quietly. “You don’t get it, you can’t feel it yourself. But everytime we’re near each other, it’s soothing. Nice, quiet. And you always know what to do. I don’t have to worry as much when I’m around you. I _want_ that - I want _you._ Next to me, at my side, when we’re with Noct and when we’re not. Is that so hard to believe?”

“A little, yes.”

“Believe it, Iggy. This is what I want. _You’re_ what I want.”

Gladio’s words were comforting, like the warmth of the sun on a cool spring day. Ignis shook his head; the rational part of his mind was still fighting the emotional part that was telling him to simply give in, to allow himself to believe the notion that what Gladio was saying was true. It just couldn’t be true; it was a statistically improbable event… but perhaps… just maybe…

Dare he hope this was real?

“Hey.” He looked up when Gladio poked him in the arm. “Your turn.”

“My turn?”

“Yeah. I told you what I liked about you. Now it’s your turn to say what you like about me.”

“Your confidence, mostly,” he admitted quietly. “Your self-assurance. How much you care about your friends and family, how protective you are of them.”

“And my good looks, right? That’s part of it?”

Gladio’s sudden joke lessened the tension somewhat, and Ignis visibly relaxed. He allowed himself to roll his eyes at the teasing remark. “You hardly need me to validate your ego,” he replied.

Gladio chuckled. “That’s more like it.” His grin faded as he slipped back into a more serious persona. “I mean what I’ve said, Iggy,” he said. “Every bit of it. I want to be with you. I _want_ you. More than I’ve wanted anyone in a long time.”

“I meant what I said as well.” Ignis shifted on his feet, wondering what was going to happen next. He knew what he was hoping would happen… but he scarcely wanted to presume, lest he ruin things before they truly had time to begin.

“I don’t want there to be any more misunderstandings between us. Tell me what you want.”

He supposed that he did not want that either. These past few months, caught up in an infatuation that he’d previously thought unrequited, had been exhausting. How much easier would it have been to have simply shown interest? How much sooner could they have - no, it was no use going down that path. It would do nothing to make him feel better. He could only focus on the here and now, not the past.

“I know what I want. What do _you_ want?”

Gladio shifted, tilting his head ever so slightly so that he was staring down his nose at Ignis. “Right now?” he asked. “I want to kiss you. Is that okay?”

Ignis’ breath caught in his throat. “Gods, yes,” he murmured, reaching up just as Gladio pushed down, their lips meeting somewhere in the middle.

It was, all at once, everything he had imagined it would be and nothing like he had ever experienced. Ignis’ past experiences were severely limited, mostly due to his focus on his duty to the Crown. Before that, there had been school, and before that… well, he had been much too young to care. But Gladio had enough experience for the both of them, and he proved it as he quite literally took Ignis’ breath away.

He was not particularly gentle, his stubble scratching at Ignis’ face and his lips quite insistent, but that was exactly as Ignis wanted it to be. He felt himself being backed up against the counter, the stone firm against his back, and Gladio’s arms came around him, enveloping him. He reveled in the feeling of being so surrounded, so entirely within the cage of Gladio’s arms. It was warm and safe and… protective, almost.

He gave a little gasp when Gladio bit down on his lip and quickly used that as an excuse to slip his tongue inside Ignis’ mouth, deepening the kiss. Ignis barely stifled a groan and reached up to cord his fingers through Gladio’s hair, pulling his head down even farther. He could barely breathe as Gladio ravished his mouth, and he found that he didn’t care. He felt as if he were floating, and nothing could ruin this moment for him.

Without warning, Gladio reached down and lifted him up, settling him on the counter so that now their heights were reversed. Ignis had to tilt his neck a bit to continue the kiss; now it was his tongue licking at Gladio’s mouth, his teeth nipping at pliant lips. Gladio made an appreciative noise that sounded halfway between a rumbling laugh and a growl. The noise went straight to Ignis’ groin, heat lancing through him.

He was hard, he realized. He was hard, and Gladiolus Amicitia was the reason.

As if he too were just now realizing this, Gladio ran one of his hands down Ignis’ spine, trailing it around his hip so that it was hovering just above his lap, tantalizingly close to where Ignis wanted it and yet still so far away. He hesitated, but Ignis had no time for that. He needed more, more than just kissing. He reached out to grab Gladio’s hand with his own, forcing it down between his legs.

His lips went slack at the first feel of Gladio’s hand on him, and he shuddered violently, suppressing another groan.

“Hey,” Gladio murmured, breaking the kiss for a moment, “you don’t have to be quiet.”

“It’s - habit,” Ignis forced out, grinding his hips up into that warm palm. Even through the fabric of his pajamas, it was maddening. What would it feel like were such barriers removed?

“I want to hear you,” Gladio asserted, and he squeezed for emphasis.

Ignis did not - _could_ not - bite back the sound he made this time. Much to his surprise, Gladio actually growled this time in response, surging forward to connect their lips again. One of his hands was on Ignis’ neck, pulling him down into the kiss, while the other worked insistently at his cock, working him until Ignis felt he might quite happily explode. He was torn, desperately wanting more of that friction, and yet not wanting this moment to ever end.

He barely stopped himself from crying out when Gladio twisted his hand, slipping in beneath the waistband of his pajama bottoms and touching bare flesh. Ignis couldn’t resist bucking up into that hand, his head falling forward onto Gladio’s shoulder as the other quite effectively continued to jerk him off.

He was close now; he could feel the orgasm rising up in his lower stomach, stronger than anything he had ever managed to evoke with his hand. He gripped Gladio’s bicep hard.

“Gladio-”

“Do it. Let go.”

Ignis obeyed, pressing his face into the other’s neck as he came, deeply inhaling the scent of masculine cologne, sweat, and leather. It hit him hard, and left him shaking in Gladio’s arms. Several full minutes passed before he could manage to speak again.

He looked up to find Gladio smiling at him, the expression on his face so achingly gentle that it hurt.

“I’m sorry,” he said, withdrawing back into his own space. “It has...been a while since I’ve been with someone else.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for.”

“Do you want me to-”

“Return the favor?” Gladio guessed. “Yeah, but no rush. We’ve got time.” Ignis blinked owlishly at him, and he raised an eyebrow. “Unless you meant for this to be a one-time thing?”

“No,” Ignis said quickly. He cleared his throat, and then added, “No, that isn’t what I want. Unless, of course, you…”

Gladio leaned forward and pressed a swift kiss to his mouth. “I’m not in any hurry to leave, Iggy. Not when the fun’s just started.”

Ignis stood, grimacing as he noticed the soiled state of his pants. He made for the shower, Gladio following him as far as the bedroom. He left the door open as he began to turn the hot water on - an invitation, of sorts.

Gladio took the hint. He walked in just as Ignis was stripping his clothing. “Want company?” he asked, openly staring at Ignis’ naked body.

“If the company is amenable to a very small shower…”

The other grinned and shucked his clothing off as Ignis checked the water temperature. It was nice and hot, just short of scalding - just how he liked it. He went to step inside, but Gladio caught him just as he opened the sliding glass door.

“You forgot your glasses.” He reached out and took them from Ignis’ face, setting them on the shelf above the sink.

Ignis retreated into the shower, a little embarrassed at having forgotten something so obvious, standing in the corner to make room for Gladio. The other stepped inside cautiously, shutting the door behind him and stepping under the water. It was a tight fit, but not uncomfortably so. 

Though the outer reaches of his vision were a little fuzzy, Ignis was perfectly capable of watching Gladio as he moved underneath the stream of water. He had to swallow to ease the sudden dryness in his mouth as he observed. It wasn’t fair that someone could be so maddeningly attractive; broad shoulders, chiseled waist, powerful thighs... Gladio was sheer physical perfection, and Ignis drank in every bit of it with his eyes.

He blinked when Gladio looked over his shoulder, catching his eyes with a smirk. “Like what you see?” he asked. He pushed his hair back, the dark tendrils clinging to his neck and ears.

“Yes,” Ignis replied, reaching a hand out to pull the other closer.

This time when their lips met, it was slow and languid, this kiss more gentle than the previous one. Pliant lips met, retreated, and then met again, the movements languorous, sensual. Ignis allowed himself the opportunity to run his hands all along Gladio’s torso, giving in to his long unspoken desire. His fingers mapped paths along the other's skin, learning the bumps, ridges, and scars and etching them into his memory. His ministrations teased small, pleased noises from the other man, noises he hadn’t thought Gladio would have been capable of making.

Gladio reached up and palmed his cheek with his hand, the tips of his fingers tangling in Ignis’ wet hair as he deepened the kiss. He tasted of beer and something spicy - probably the hot sauce. It was an odd combination, but Ignis found that he didn’t mind. He was too happy, too lost in the moment, to care.

A slight shift brought their hips closer together, and Ignis’ breath hitched. His hands tightened on Gladio’s frame, nails digging into heated skin, and then the other shifted again, on purpose this time. Ignis arched up into him in response, and Gladio caught him quick, keeping their hips pressed tightly together.

That tore a moan from Ignis’ throat, and he leaned his head back against the shower tiles. Gladio leaned in swiftly, running his lips up and down his throat in feverish kisses. He didn’t bite down, for which Ignis was secretly grateful, but when he pressed his lips to the hollow just at the base of his ear, the intense pleasure caught him entirely off guard.  

“You like that, huh?” Gladio teased the spot again, and Ignis hissed, all the breath escaping his lungs at once. “What else do you like?”

He sank down to his knees, and before Ignis could react, he had taken Ignis into his mouth.

It was sinful, that feeling, hot and velvety and sinful. He loved every second of it, barely able to resist snapping his hips forward. His breathing came in short, heady gasps as Gladio sucked him, sinuously laving his tongue along the sides of his cock.

Before long, he was a panting, writhing mess, and he had to push Gladio away lest that be the end of things. With a shaky hand, he reached up to turn the water off. Gladio looked up at him quizzically, but followed Ignis out of the shower, dutifully drying off with the towel thrust in his face.

Ignis steered him towards the bed, pushing him down onto the sheets. It was _his_ turn; he wanted to be the one to lick, to feel, to taste. He needed to give back as he had been given.

Gladio seemed to realize what he was doing, and reclined on his forearms to watch as Ignis knelt between his legs. “Mmm,” he murmured as Ignis took him in hand, “that’s good.”

For a moment, it was enough for him to wring pleased noises from Gladio using only his hand. But the moment soon passed, and Ignis wanted more still. Hesitantly - for he had never done this before - he leaned down, running his tongue along the head of Gladio’s cock.

“Fuck!”

Emboldened by this response, Ignis took the rest of him in his mouth, attempting to mimic the movements Gladio had just used on him. He could not take all of the other’s length into his mouth at once, so he sufficed for licking and sucking on what he could reach, using his hand on the rest. This seemed perfectly alright to Gladio, who quickly proved that he was a very loud, very vulgar lover.

Ignis would never admit it, but he found that very, very attractive.

Gladio reached down and pulled him up, bringing their lips together for one more, heated kiss. “How do you want to do this?” he murmured, drawing Ignis down into his lap. “Is this too much too soon, or-”

“No,” Ignis said sharply, tilting his hips forward and grinding down.

“Then-”

“Here.” Ignis, loathe as he was to break contact, leaned back to open the drawer to the bedside table, withdrawing a small bottle of lubricant and a condom from within. Gladio took them slowly, his amber eyes never leaving Ignis’. “Now, if you please - fuck me.”

Gladio groaned, pressing their foreheads together. “Wait-”

“No, no more waiting.”

“Iggy stop,” Gladio said, batting Ignis’ insistent hands away. “Have you… have you done this before?”

“Yes, once or twice,” Ignis replied, pulling the bottle out of Gladio’s hands and popping open the cap.

“What’re you-”

Gladio stopped mid-sentence, his attention consumed by the sight of Ignis using his own slicked fingers to begin to prepare himself. His hands were tight on Ignis’ hips, almost crushingly so.

“Do you like what you see?” Ignis asked, mimicking Gladio’s earlier question as he pushed a finger inside. It stung, his body long having forgotten that type of sensation, but the look on the other man’s face was worth it. There was very little he wouldn’t do to see that look again, and again, and again.

He added a second finger when he was ready, and then a third, catching another groan in his throat when he was finally able to find the spot he’d been searching for. A heavy wave of lust shot through him then, and he thrust the condom at Gladio.

They switched positions, Ignis lying on the bed on his stomach and Gladio kneeling behind him. “Are you ready?” he asked, reaching down to pull Ignis towards him.

“Dammit, Gladio, _yes.”_ He pushed back with his hips for emphasis, to make sure there was no miscommunication.

Gladio grabbed him and pushed inside him slowly, allowing him time to adjust. It stung a bit at first, but the pain was soon replaced by the dull, insistent heat that Ignis craved. Picking up on this, Gladio started to move, rolling his hips forward and then pulling back. Just like before, he was slow and sensual, one of his hands on Ignis' hip, the other splayed on his back.

But it wasn’t what Ignis wanted. He vocalized this to Gladio, and was instantly rewarded with a deep thrust that had him seeing stars.

Gladio set a fast, frenetic pace after that, following Ignis’ every instruction. Deeper, harder, faster, more, more, more - oh how quickly his vocabulary was reduced, how quickly his world shrank to this one moment. There was nothing but the two of them and heat and friction, and by the Six, it was _perfection._

Ignis grabbed the sheets beneath him as Gladio thrust into him particularly hard, another moan slipping from his lips. He was close now, very close, and he could sense that Gladio was too, the movements of his hips gone erratic.

He reached in between his legs, grabbing his cock and stroking it in time with Gladio’s thrusts. It took him only a few moments to find his release, and he went limp with a blissful sigh.

Gladio joined him soon thereafter, rolling off to the side and staring up at the ceiling for a moment before getting up to remove the condom. For his part, Ignis was feeling rather incapable of movement, his body sated and boneless. He watched as Gladio returned to him, sliding onto the bed beside him and snuggling in close.

“That was nice,” Ignis offered. It was an understatement, a very _serious_ understatement, but he found he was suddenly too tired to come up with a better word. Gone was his restlessness and his discontent, replaced with a soft, sweet joy that had his lips curling up in the smallest of smiles.

“Nice?” Gladio snorted. “If you think that was good, just wait until I show you what I can _really_ do.”

Ignis chuckled, amused. “I look forward to it,” he admitted.

Gladio smiled, pressing a kiss against his hairline. “Yeah, me too.”

Ignis reached down and grabbed the rumpled blanket pooled at the foot of the bed. He pulled it over the both of them, settling down to go to sleep.

“Do you want me to stay?”

“Don’t you dare leave,” Ignis retorted.

“But people will talk. If they see me leaving here in the morning.”

“Are you concerned about that?”

“Well, no. But I thought you might be.”

Ignis opened a bleary eye, peeking at Gladio. “If you wish, you may go out the window,” he said. “I hear that is quite the common escape route.”

“You’re on the ninth floor,” Gladio said flatly.

“I have full confidence in your athletic prowess.”

“...you’re teasing me.”

“Indeed. How good of you to notice.”

Gladio laughed and pulled Ignis a little closer, curling around him like a cat. He buried his face in Ignis’ hair, inhaling deeply. “I could get used to this,” he murmured.

Ignis waited until Gladio had drifted off to sleep, his breathing evening out, before he replied, “I very much hope you do.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! :)


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